Spring is finally here, and we cyclists are once again eagerly drawn back out into nature to explore the world from the saddle. District of Wesel For me personally, it still strongly belongs in the category of "undiscovered territory". Based on the signposted node system I have therefore devised a stylish tour to the numerous remnants of mining on the left bank of the Rhine and hope that you too might use my tour suggestion as inspiration for your own exploration tour this cycling season.
Preparation is half the battle.
With the bike tour planner.ruhr I quickly put together the tour idea using the signposted junction system. Since I'm a big fan of Komoot for navigation, I then used the track with the GPXI transferred the file to Komoot and made some minor adjustments there. After all, I don't want to just cycle past the slag heaps, I want to climb them and enjoy the panorama.
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The tour would be 59 kilometers long on the junction network, but with all the smaller and larger detours, my suggested route ends up being 70 kilometers with a considerable 280 meters of elevation gain for the Wesel district. For me, it's the ideal length for an exciting day in the saddle. As so often before, I'm riding with Pascal, who once again took many of the fantastic photos. And as you can see in some of the pictures, we were out in mid-March under perfect sunshine.
Start at Moers train station at junction 46
I've chosen Moers train station as the starting point, so arriving by public transport is easily doable. If you're coming by car and perhaps even need a rental bike, you could also start at the RevierRad station on the grounds of the Friedrich Heinrich coal mine.
From the train station, the route initially leads via a former railway line Head southwest towards junction 40. This path is now known as the Grafschaft cycling and hiking trail. At junction 40, we turn off towards Moers Castle with its beautiful park. Unfortunately, the signage on this section isn't ideal, so a GPS navigation system is helpful. I also recommend taking the small causeway directly at the top of the castle park instead of using the junction system.
Moers Castle and the beautiful old town
Moers Castle offers beautiful perspectives for photographers (someone had already photographed here). Verena reports on this) and also a little later in the beautiful old town.
Finally, we leave Moers, navigating some less-than-ideal city traffic, heading towards junction 45. The landscape becomes more rural, and we cycle through the typical Wesel district's mix of small settlements, more or less attractive farmsteads, and expansive fields. We cross the A57 motorway and find ourselves in the middle of this flat landscape, facing the rather imposing Halde Norddeutschland spoil tip with its prominent hall house.
The hall house on the spoil heap of Northern Germany
At junction 47, you should briefly leave the signposted junction system and turn left, cycling clockwise around the spoil heap. This will take you past a large hiking parking lot to the paved access ramp leading up to the plateau. This ramp is actually best suited for trekking bikes, as it winds its way up in a few gentle switchbacks.
Once there, the steel framework of the hall house immediately draws us in, and we can intensely enjoy the great panorama.
Excursion: The spoil heap of Northern Germany
In March 2001, the dumping of the spoil heap, containing over 80 million tons of rock material from the Niederberg coal mine, was completed. It lies 74 meters above the surrounding area. The "Stairway to Heaven" leads directly to the top of the heap, where the approximately 10-meter-high steel framework of the hall building stands. The spoil heap is particularly popular with recreational athletes – in addition to cyclists and hikers, it is also frequented by model glider pilots, paragliders, and mountain bikers.
View of the Friedrich Heinrich coal mine
From the northern plateau of the spoil heap, we can already clearly see our next destination in Kamp-Lintfort. The grounds of the former Friedrich Heinrich coal mine were part of the State Garden Show in 2020. The mine towers are prominent landmarks visible from afar. We initially cycle down a gravel path in several switchbacks from the Norddeutschland spoil heap. Then we rejoin the network of cycle routes and follow the 48. The route leads past several gravel pits, as the region is also known – and, as numerous information banners along the way show, controversial – for its gravel extraction. Admittedly, the gravel pits here don't look particularly attractive yet.
After crossing the railway tracks, we once again leave the signposted junction system, as we want to reach the Friedrich Heinrich coal mine, which is currently (as of 2022) not yet directly connected to the junction network. After a pleasant ride through the old Friedrich-Heinrich settlement, we arrive almost directly at the former state garden show grounds.
Mining history you can touch and sit on.
Right at the beginning, in my opinion, awaits the highlight of the entire colliery site. Besides a visitor tunnel, young and old explorers alike can marvel at various mine workings and mining relics. The exhibits are open to the public in the outdoor area and fascinate not only curious children.
The rest of the grounds of the state garden show, however, are rather less spectacular. Not much seems to remain of the horticultural exhibition, but of course the two mine towers still rise quite imposingly into the sky.
The walking path to Kamp Monastery
At the northern end of the former mine site, we follow the well-signposted walking trail to our next highlight. The path has been excellently prepared for pedestrians, although we do have to cross some sections of road traffic.
We pass a somewhat oversized but very chic motorhome parking area and finally reach Kamp Abbey with its wonderful gardens.
Besides the monastery café, there are several other restaurants here for a suitable refreshment. You should take advantage of these, as there aren't many more places to stop for a bite to eat in the next few kilometers.
Forest bathing on two wheels
Now we're heading into the magnificent natural surroundings of the forest. Anyone expecting only the best paths on narrow tires is definitely in the wrong place here. A full-suspension mountain bike isn't necessary, but the forest trails are very natural and do require a bit of cycling experience, for example, if there's a small branch lying across the path.
Fresh air and typical forest scenes await along the way; otherwise, we can pick up the pace here and rack up some serious kilometers.
Half-time and lunch break in the Alps
Finally, the forest spits us out into the tranquil town of Alpen. The small town has little in common with the mountain range of the same name. The only thing that rises somewhat higher here are the delicious fries at Friture De Hollander. As everyone knows, Pascal and I absolutely must have a... proper currywurst always a nice addition to a bike tour, and yes, the Ruhr area classic can also be enjoyed perfectly here in the Wesel district!
Onward to the Rhine!
After a long break, we continued cycling along the junction system towards the Rhine. The landscape was once again the typical mix of fields and small settlements. An old windmill by the wayside warned us that the wind here can pack a punch. And indeed, we felt that power a little later… unfortunately from the wrong direction.
Having reached the Rhine, we pedaled southwards with great effort, battling a fierce headwind. I was lucky, thanks to my e-bike, which provided just the right amount of assistance. Pascal's enthusiasm on his gravel bike, however, was waning, especially since the scenery on either side wasn't exactly brimming with variety.
Beach enjoyment in the Rhine meadows
We take a well-deserved break by the water and look at the large ships on the Rhine, which, like us, are either laboriously working their way upstream or speeding swiftly downstream.
Even here on the Rhine, the effects of mining are still visible. A large loading station shows that the Rhine has long been an important transport route for local raw materials.
Back to the Middle Ages
In Orsoy we then briefly slip into a small contrasting program, because the small village with its chic church stands less for industrialization than for the medieval history of the region.
We continue across fields towards Duisburg, and without the strong headwind, we can now enjoy the Rhine much more while cycling. On the opposite bank of the Rhine, we see Alsumer Berg and the large steelworks, then we approach junction 23, the last major attraction of this bike tour.
The light on the Rheinpreußen slag heap
Before reaching the distinctive railway bridge, we leave the Rhine cycle path and head towards the second large slag heap of this bike tour. The beacon stands atop it. Stockpile Rhine Prussia and is clearly visible from afar. A ramp leads up, initially paved, then later over gravel, to the plateau of the spoil heap. The enormous miner's lamp is, in my opinion, one of the most impressive. Photo motifs of the Ruhr area. What always gives me goosebumps and an intense feeling of home deep in my heart is the view of Duisburg and the Ruhr area behind it.
The final leg back to Moers
After the descent, the last few kilometers lead back to the starting point. I'm surprised by the large Workers' settlement the garden city of Meerbeck. It too represents the mining history of the region and is therefore an ideal end to the tour.
Excursion: The history of the garden city of Meerbeck
At the beginning of the 20th century, this workers' settlement was built as a garden city for nearly 10.000 inhabitants. The aim was to provide housing for the employees of the Rheinpreußen coal mine, which had several shafts in its immediate vicinity. This resulted in a self-contained community that, to this day, stands for a personal coexistence of different cultures.
A little more city traffic on a cycle path alongside the road, then we are back right in front of the train station in Moers.
Our conclusion: A stylish tour for experienced cyclists.
Even though the tour follows the junction network almost entirely, the path quality isn't consistently ideal. Beginners will likely find it somewhat challenging, especially since the tour's length is more suited to experienced cyclists. However, if you're a regular cyclist and, like us, perhaps not yet familiar with this westernmost corner of the Ruhr region, then this bike trip is definitely worthwhile.
Not everyone immediately thinks of the Wesel district when they hear the term "industrial heritage," but the remnants of the mining industry here in western Germany are among the most remarkable sites, sure to ignite the passion of any photography enthusiast. If you find this blend of industrial heritage and natural beauty just as appealing, then I wish you lots of fun exploring by bike!
